Klopp rumours continue to gather momentum

It’s typical that as the Gooners enjoy their best season for nearly a decade, the rumour mill surrounding Arsene Wenger’s tenure intensifies.

This isn’t so much down to the Frenchman as to the recent resignation of Jurgen Klopp over at Borussia Dortmund. It’s amazing that despite the Black and Yellows enduring their worst season since the 2007/08 campaign, Klopp’s star hasn’t waned – in fact, his desirability has soared.

Dortmund`s head coach Juergen Klopp attends a press conference on April 27, 2015 in Brackel near Dortmund, western Germany, on the eve of the German Cup DFB Pokal semi final football match FC Bayern Munich vs Borussia Dortmund. AFP PHOTO / PATRIK STOLLARZ

That’s down to his fantastic record at the club; he had led the previously unfashionable Dortmund to two Bundesliga titles and a Champions League quarter final in the space of four seasons.

But perhaps even more than that is his pursuit of playing the beautiful game, with an emphasis on keeping possession, pressing high up the pitch and dominating games.

Bookies Know Best

As you’d expect, the bookmakers are having a field day with their ‘Jurgen Klopp – Next Club’ markets.

Manchester City is still the most likely destination for the German, according to the bookies anyway, with odds as low as 10/11 in some circles. Much will depend on how they fare between now and the end of the season, but you’d expect that anything less than a top three finish would be curtains for Manuel Pellegrini.

Real Madrid are the general second favourites to secure Klopp’s signature, although they have undergone a recent upturn in fortunes under Carlo Ancelotti after a dark spell at the turn of the year. Are they really likely to sack a manager who looks set to lead them to a second place finish in La Liga and a potential Champions League final?

Then there’s the beleaguered Brendan Rodgers at Liverpool. Opinion is still divided about him around Anfield way, but is he liable to be removed just a year after guiding his side to their best Premier League finish?

And then, with prices ranging from 6/1 to 10/1, are Arsenal.

Loyalty vs Progression

There are those supporters who recognise that Arsene is 65-years-old, and can’t go on forever.

There are those who appreciate Jurgen Klopp’s achievements with Dortmund, and who lick their lips in anticipation at him bringing the likes of Mats Hummels and Ilkay Gundogan to the Emirates.

There are those who will stand by Wenger no matter what….and to the bitter end.

And there are those – plenty in fact – who are thankful for the great season he has helped to deliver in 2014/15.

But every road comes to an end somewhere, and the timing of Arsene moving upstairs to a role on the board of directors is more of a question of when, not if.